Dispensing valves having a stem by-pass for gassing



March 19, 1963 J. L. RHODES ETAL DISPENSING VALVES HAVING A STEM BY-PASSFOR GASSING Filed March 5, 1959 "Fill/f4 FIG.

IN V EN T ORS.

L. RHODES RICHARD C. HUG

JAMES ATTORNEY lllllllll F' G 6 lifld L916 Patented Mar. 19, 19633,081,916 DISPENSING VALVE HAVING A STEM EY-TASS FUR GASSENG James L.Rhodes, University City, and Richard C. Hug, St. Louis, Mo, assignors,by mesne assignments, to The (Ilayton Corporation of Delaware, St.Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Mar. 5, 1959, Ser. No.797,388 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) The present invention relates todispensing valves for gas pressure dispensing containers, and appliesparticularly to the type of valves through which gas is inserted intothe container after the dispensing valve itself has been sealedlysecured to the container.

For controlled flow in dispensing, the dispensing passages through suchvalves are frequently made so small, or with such constrictions, thatthe necessary quantity of gas cannot be forced therethrough during areasonably short time.

One of the objects of the present invention is to minimize the timerequired for gassing containers through their dispensing valves. Anotherobject is to provide a dispensing valve construction including suchflow-constricting dispensing passages as are suitable for a variety ofuses, with or without dip-tubes; which may be quickly gassed, and yetwill permit easy dispensing operation with desired flow characteristics.A still further object is to provide a valve through which gas may bequickly inserted, in a mass-production operation, and which willthereafter close itself positively and securely, without leakage; forany substantial leakage in even a fraction of the percent of suchcontainers would be commercially unsatisfactory.

The foregoing objects, and others which will be apparent, are achievedin the present invention and the embodiments shown in the drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through a valve embodying thepresent invention, mounted in the mounting cup of a container, and inclosed position;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of such valve shown pressed downward by agassing head from which gas is flowing around the outside of the spoutand into the nipple of the valve;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the valve of FIG- URE 1 shown with anactuator cap applied to the valve stem and pressed downward, to dispensethe container contents;

FIGURE 4 is a view, partly in section, of a modified embodiment of theinvention as applied to a pressure bottle;

FIGURE 5 shows the valve of FIGURE 4 with an actuator cap applied anddispensing by tilting;

FIGURE 6 is a view, partly in section, of the molded rubber sealutilized in the valve embodiment shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 1.

Both of the valve embodiments illustrated will be seen to include,generally, rigid tubular stems each having an imperforate head, a portinto the stem adjacent and axially outward of the head, a cylindricalsealing portion on the radially outer surface of the stern adjacent toand axially outward of the ports, a gas filling byapass formed into theouter surface of the stern outwardly adjacent to the cylindricalportion; a manipulative portion outward of the gas filling by-passportion thereof; an axially inward-presented annular face, and resilientmeans for exerting an axially outward force thereagainst.

Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIGURES l, 2

and 3, to be applied to a single-use dispensing container of thepressure-can type, we furnish a mounting cup generally designated 11having an outer annular rim 12 which mounts scaledly to the mouth ofsuch a can-type pressure dispenser. Raised in the middle portion of themounting cup ll. is a dome 13 having a flat top wall 14- including acentral circular aperture 15, of sufiicient diameter to accommodate,with clearance, the valve spout 32, hereafter described. The dome has anearly cylindrical side wall 16. At the time of assembly of the valvepart as hereinafter described, the side wall 16 is spun with an annulargroove 17 whereby to hold the upper, radially outward-extending rim 1%of a preferably plastic nipple l9. The nipple 19 provides a chamber forthe flow of the substance to be dispensed, and includes a hollowcylindrical wall portion 20, topped by the outwardlyextending rim 18 andjoining a lower nipple wall 21 having a central opening 22, from whichextends a downweirdly-projecting tubular portion 23 having anoutwardly-formed ridge 24. Onto the tubular portion 23 and held withadded security by the ridge 24 is a preferably flexible plastic dip-tube25, which extends downwardly a suflicient length to bring its lower endopening (not shown) to near the bottom of the can in which the mountingcup 1-1 is mounted.

Molded within the nipple m9 and extending inward of the cylindrical wallportion 20 and upwardly from the bottom wall 21, as shown in FIGURE 8,are a plurality of fins 26, separated by their lower portions an amountequal to the width of the central opening 22, and having thereabove,inner fin faces 27 spaced sutiiciently from the central axis a of thenipple 19 to accommodate a coiled compression spring 28, hereinafterdescribed.

Beneath the fiat top wall 14 and held in fiat sealing relationshipagainst an annular portion outward thereof by the spinning of theannular groove I67 against the underside of the rim 18, is a flatrubber-like seal 29, which may have the general configuration of awasher. To aid in its tight clamping against the dome top wall 14 therim is may be equipped with a fairly sharp upper edge 30. The seal has acentral cylindrical aperture 31, which seals against the cylindricalsurface 37 of the valve spout 32 hereafter described. The seal aperture31 and dome aperture 15 are held in registration so that both areconcentric with the axis a, by the spinning of the groove 17 against thenipple rim 1'8.

Penetrating said aperture 31 and positioned along the axis a is atubular valving spout generally designated 32, of the type having animperforate head 33 closing the inner end of the tubular spout and anaxially inward-projecting guide plug portion 34 which extends inwardlyof the upper coil of the spring 28, whose lower coil rests on the basesof the fins 26. The spring 28, stabilized between the guide plug portion34 and the fins 26, urges the head 33 upward, so that its axially outerannular surface 35 (which lies outwardly of the base of the tubularspout 32 immediately above the head 33) tends to close sealingly againstthe axially inner side of the seal 29.

Immediately above (that is, axially outward of) the head 33, the valvingspout 32 has a plurality of ports, which may be the Wide-slotted,axially shallow rectangular ports 36. These extend through the wall ofthe spout 32 at the lower portion thereof which has a cylindrical outersurface 37. The diameter of the cylindrical outer surface portion 37 issufficiently great, as compared with the diameter of the seal aperture31, to result in resilient sealing of the cylindrical surface portion 37over the entire thickness of the seal 29, which substantially exceedsthe depth of the rectangular ports 36.

The cylindrical outer surface 37 is of such depth, measured upward fromthe annular face 35 on the head 33, that when the spout 32 is presseddownward to uncover the ports 36 to permit the outward flow, as shown inFIGURE 3, the entire thickness of the seal 2@ will still bear againstthe cylindrical surface 37, confining the flow so that it must passthrough the ports 36 and upward through the spout. Thus in FIGURE 3, thevalve of FIGURE 1 is shown pressed down to dispensing posi tion. Forthis purpose there is utilized an actuator cap generally designated 38having a central hub portion 39 which fits onto the upper spout end 40;also having a radially outward-extending nozzle 41 through which thecontainer contents are dispensed when in use. Preferably the actuatorcap 38 includes a depending skirt portion 42 which extends downward sofar that when depressed to operating position, its lower edge 43 willcontact the mounting cup 11 to prevent excessive downward movement. Itthus limits the opening of the valve, preferably to an extent at whichthe rate of flow between the valve head 33 and the under surface of theseal 29 at least equals the possible rate of flow through the ports 36.In such depressed position, the entire inner surface of the sealaperture 31 will bear sealingly against part of the cylindrical outersurface 37.

However, for purpose of gassing quickly and without limitation as torate of fiow limitations of the rectangular ports 36, we provide forby-passing the ports, as follows:

Between the upper, or manipulative, end 4% f the spout 32 and the upperportion of the cylindrical outer surface 37, we provide an area Whosecross-section is as shown in FIGURE 7; and which in vertical section isas shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, a fragmentary side elevation being shown inFIGURE 2. This portion, shown in cross-section in FIGURE 7, is of lessercross-sectional area than the cylindrical outer surface 37, in that itpossesses a pair of flats 4 molded inwardly from the cylindrical contourto serve as gas inlet by-passes as shown in FIGURE 2.

Between the cylindrical outer surface portion adjacent the valve head 33and the level at which the cross-section of FIGURE 7 is taken, there areinward-and-upward sloping transition areas 45 on the spout surface,which afford a gradual transition and make sure that the spout, oncedepressed to the position shown in FIGURE 2, will not hang up when thespout is returned upward.

The gassing head, shown in FIGURE 2 applied over the upper end 40 of thespout, is not a portion of the present invention; therefore it is shownonly schematically. Gas under pressure is supplied from a source, notshown, through a conduit 46, into a hollow cast metal head 47 which mayhave a central inverted well 43 to receive the upper end 40 of the spoutagainst a resilient pad 49 on the gassing head center 50. An annularsealing pad 51 is also provided on the lower face 52 of the gassing head4'7, so as to effect gas-tight sealing against the top wall 14 of thedome 13.

When the gassing head 47 is applied, the pad 49 on the head center 50presses against the upper end of the spout 49 so that the spout as awhole is forced downward to the position shown in FIGURE 2, against theurging of the spring 28. In the gassing position shown, the portion ofthe tubular stem having the flat 44 (which is referred to as the portionsuperjacent the cylindrical surface portion 37) is depressed so as to beat the level of the aperture 31 of the seal 29, preferably with thetransition areas 45 lowered sufiiciently below the lower sur face of theseal 29 to provide adequate clearance for the rapid passage of gas. Inthis position, the spring is compressed nearly to shut height, and nestsbetween the fins 26, while the gas flows between the fins 26 and throughthe nipple central opening 22, into the tubular portion 23, and outthrough the dip-tube 25, through the fluid product within the containeritself, to fill the head space within the container.

If preferred, the gassing head 47 may have a tubular center 50 and agassing orifice through the center of the pad 49, so that gas will flowthrough the tubular spout 32 as well as outwardly of the spout as shownin FIGURE 2, The value of such an alternative construction is not somuch to increase the speed of gas flow, but rather to maintain a gaspressure inside the spout which tends to hold it depressed in part bythe gas pressure, rather than merely by the physical pressure exertedthrough the pad 49 onto the upper edge of the spout upper end iii.

For ready dispensing at a fingers touch, such a valve should dispensewith only slight pressure. On first view it might appear that arestoring spring 28 compressible with sufficient ease to permitfinger-touch operation, would not exert a force strong enough to pressthe spout 32 positively and surely through a resilient seal from asmaller cross-sectional portion such as shown in FIGURE 7 to the fullcross-section of the cylindrical portion 37.

We have found the answer to this problem lies in spacing the flats 44well above the seal =29; and in providing a relatively great differencebetween the compressed, nearly shut height of the spring 28 when in thegassing position shown in FIGURE 2, and the valve-closed position shownin FIGURE 1; with a correspondingly great depth for the cylindricalportion 37. Eased by the slope of the transition areas 45, the spout 32can be forced upward beyond these areas 45 by the spring resistancewhich exists when it is deflected to the gassing position, FIGURE 2. Butspring resistance lessens as its deflection lessens. In the closedposition of FIGURE 1 its deflection is relatively slight and itsresistance small enough so that it will dispense at a finger touch.

In the construction shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, I apply to the mouth 6lofa bottle generally designated 62 (of which the upper end only is shown)a valve assembly which is crimped on after the fluid product is filledinto the bottle, leaving a head space thereover. The assembly consistsof a crimped-on metal cap 63 having a central aperture 64 in its topsurface 65. Between the mouth 61 and the cap upper surface 65, andsecured by crimping of the cap 63, is a rubber-like seal generallydesignated 66, which may be a simple washer-like seal as utilized in thepreceding embodiment, or (as shown here and in detail in FIGURE 6) maybe formed by molding to include an outwardly-projecting central hubportion 67 which extends upwardly within and fills the central aperture64 of the cap 63. The seal 66 has a molded central aperture 63, havingthe form of a hollow cylindrical bore which extends centrally throughthe hub portion 67; but within this hub portion the bore 68 preferablyhas an internalIy-projecting constriction or girdle 69 so as to secureeven tighter sealing engagement that would be afforded by the innercylindrical bore portion 68 itself.

The aperture 64 of the cap and the aperture 68 of the seal areconcentric, and they are penetrated by a valving spout generallydesignated 7 El, of the same general nature as has been described forthe embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 to 3, save as follows: The head has noplug portion 34'; instead, the upper end of the spout 40 is providedwith a downward-facing shoulder 71 against which abuts the upper coil ofa helical spring 72 which bears against the upper surface 65 of the cap63. This form of valve may be utilized without a dip-tube, fordispending in inverted position. Because of the similarity of the otherparts of the valving spout, they will not here be given new numbers norreferred to in detail; instead, the numbers given to correspondingportions of the spout 32 heretofore described Will be utilized with thesuperscript The particular form of molded seal 66, with the constrictinggirdle 65 projecting into the hub portion 67, is especially well suitedfor operation by tilting, as shown in FIGURE 5. Thus a cap 38, similarto that shown in FIGURE 3, may be used for tilting operation duringwhich the lower edge 43' of its skirt 42 may contact the upper surface65 of the metal cap 63 when an angle of tilt has been reached to permitthe discharge of the bottle contents, under the available gas pressure,at a desired rate of flow.

It will be noted that in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, theangular position of the ports 36 is shown rotated 90 from the positionof the ports 36, as measured from the angular position of the gassingflats 44 or 44'. This is immaterial for purposes of operation; theposition chosen will be dictated by considerations of ease in molding Itis apparent that the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4 can be gassed quicklyand precisely in the same manner as shown in FIGURE 2, and heretoforedescribed.

The quick gassing afforded by the present invention makes it possible touse valve spouts having extremely small ports and central passages, suchas may be desired to restrict the flow during dispensing. Thus it makesunnecessary the cold filling process heretofore used, wherein the gaswould be reduced in temperature to the point of liquifying orsolidifying, and be inserted in the containers along with the productbefore the valve assembly was applied to and sealed onto the container.

Due in part to the fact that the outer peripheral edges of the seals 29,66, shown in the two embodiments, are tightly clamped, the spouts 32, 70may be readily manipulated, either by pressing downward or by tilting,for operation without disturbing the position of the seals beneath themounting cup top 14 or the metal cap surface 65, respectively. Theconsistency of the rubber-like material which forms the seals 29, 66 maybe varied; preferably a compound is utilized which, though possessingsufficient surface softness for sealing, somewhat resists distortion asa diaphragm. Thus there may be a tight sealing fit against thecylindrical surfaces 37, 3 7', regardless of the extent to which thespouts are depressed, whether for operation or gassing. Not only may thecorn position of the seals 29, 66 be varied, but also their relativethicknesses, to suit the needs of the particular valve. The necessaryvariations are empirical, as will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

Gther modifications may be made in the construction of valves utilizingthe principles of the invention herein disclosed, as well as in varyingthe uses to be made of such principles. Accordingly, this invention isnot to be construed narrowly, but instead as fully coextensive with theclaims which follow.

We claim:

1. A combined quick-gassing valve and container top for pressuredispensers, comprising a container top having an aperture, a resilientseal having a circular sealing aperture, means for securing the sealagainst the inner surface of the container top with the said aperturesconcentric, a tubular valving spout penetrating said apertures andhaving a head closing against the inner side of said seal and a portinto the tubular spout adjacent to said head, further having an outerspout wall including a cylindrical surface outward of said port and atsuch level as to be sealedly embraced by the circular sealing aperturewhen the head is so closed, said outer spout wall having a portionsuperjacent to said cylindrical surface of lesser outer extent than theinner extent of said sealing aperture, said superjacent portion being ofgreater depth than the depth of the sealing aperture, whereby to permitthe passage of pressurizing gas outward of said superjacent spoutportion, together with a spring urging the head to closed position, saidspring being characterized by a range of axial deflectance greater thanthe depth of said sealing aperture.

2. A quick-gassing valve and container top as defined in claim 1,together with an inward-and-upward sloping transition area on the spoutsurface between the cylindrical portion and said superjacent portion.

3. A quick-gassing tubular spout valve for gas pressure dispensers,comprising a rigid tubular stem having an imperforate head, a port intothe stem adjacent to and axially outward of the head, a cylindricalportion on the outer surface of the stem axially outward of the port,and a reduced portion in the outer surface of the stem in the regionaxially outward of the cylindrical portion, in combination with aresilent seal against whose inner surface the head closes, the sealbeing of such thickness and having a circular aperture of such diameteras to sealedly embrace the cylindrical portion and seal off the sternport when the head is closed against the inner surface of the seal, thereduced portion in the outer surface of the stem being smaller incross-section than the aperture of the seal, the depth of said reducedportion being greater than the thickness of the seal, and a compressionspring urging the stem axially outward and deflectable axially inward anamount sufficient to position the reduced stem portion spacedly withinthe seal aperture.

4. A quick-gassing tubular spout Valve as defined in claim 3, the sternhaving a manipulative portion outward of the reduced portion.

5. A combined quick-gassing valve and container top for pressuredispensers, comprising the quick-gassing tubular spout valve as definedin claim 3, together with a container top having an aperture concentricwith and larger than the circular aperture of the seal, the seal beingmounted against the inner surface of the container top, together furtherwith removable actuator means fitted on the stern axially outward of itsreduced portion, the said actuator means having a movement-limiting edgeportion presented axially inward and spaced from the outer surface ofthe container top a distance which, when the head is closed, is lessthan the thickness of the seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,686,652 Carlson et a1 Aug. 17, 1954 2,704,622 Sofier Mar. 22, 19552,706,660 Johnson et a1. Apr. 19, 1955 2,744,665 Carlson et al May 8,1956 2,806,739 Drell Sept. 17, 1957 2,818,202 Abplanalp Dec. 31, 19572,828,892 Ward Apr. 1, 1958 2,881,808 St. Germain Apr. 14, 19592,890,817 Rheinstrom June 16, 1959

1. A COMBINED QUICK-GASSING VALVE AND CONTAINER TOP FOR PRESSUREDISPENSERS, COMPRISING A CONTAINER TOP HAVING AN APERTURE, A RESILIENTSEAL HAVING A CIRCULAR SEALING APERTURE, MEANS FOR SECURING THE SEALAGAINST THE INNER SURFACE OF THE CONTAINER TOP WITH THE SAID APERTURESCONCENTRIC, A TUBULAR VALVING SPOUT PENETRATING SAID APERTURES ANDHAVING A HEAD CLOSING AGAINST THE INNER SIDE OF SAID SEAL AND A PORTINTO THE TUBULAR SPOUT ADJACENT TO SAID HEAD, FURTHER HAVING AN OUTERSPOUT WALL INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL SURFACE OUTWARD OF SAID PORT AND ATSUCH LEVEL AS TO BE SEALEDLY EMBRACED BY THE CIRCULAR SEALING APERTUREWHEN THE HEAD IS SO CLOSED, SAID OUTER SPOUT WALL HAVING A PORTIONSUPERJACENT TO SAID CYLINDRICAL SURFACE OF LESSER OUTER EXTENT THAN THEINNER EXTENT OF SAID SEALING APERTURE, SAID SUPERJACENT PORTION BEING OFGREATER DEPTH THAN THE DEPTH OF THE SEALING APERTURE, WHEREBY TO PERMITTHE PASSAGE OF PRESSURIZING GAS OUTWARD OF SAID SUPERJACENT SPOUTPORTION, TOGETHER WITH A SPRING URGING THE HEAD TO CLOSED POSITION, SAIDSPRING BEING CHARACTERIZED BY A RANGE OF AXIAL DEFLECTANCE GREATER THANTHE DEPTH OF SAID SEALING APERTURE.